Buteyko Clinic USA

1. Core principal.During any physical activity, ventilation of the lungs should not exceed current metabolic requirements. This can be achieved following recommendations listed below, as well as working toward permanent breathing normalization outside physical exercise time.

2. Warm up and cool down. Warming up allows one to gradually adjust breathing volume to match the rate of physical activity. Cooling down should be geared toward reducing one’s breathing while gradually decreasing physical activity.

3. Nose breathing. If one’s Morning Control Pause (CP) is not consistently above 20 sec, it is extremely important to nose breathe only. It is highly desirable to nose breathe only all the time, under any circumstances, including physical exercise. If one cannot tolerate physical activity with nose breathing, one should lower the intensity of the routine toward what is tolerable with nose breathing (e.g. slow down walking, limit exercise duration, take breaks etc).

4. Mouth breathing for a very short period of time could be justified only if
Morning CP is consistently above 20 sec (the higher, the better)
and
while performing high demand aerobic activity
and
stopping or slowing down is not an option (e.g. professional athletic competition)

5. Large volume chest breathing (often interpreted as “deep” breathing) should not be encouraged.

6. Intensity. The most optimum exercise is one that is done with maximum intensity, but consistent nose breathing. As a guideline for maximum intensity, a person should be able to suspend their breath for 5 seconds at any point during exercise, while still maintaining nasal breathing.

7. Duration. Generally speaking, the longer the exercise (up to 3 hours a day), the stronger the impact. But one has to consider their current state of health and determine most beneficial duration (for some people at the beginning of breathing retraining, most beneficial duration can be as little as 15 min twice a day). The duration should be gradually increased as one’s breathing is brought to healthy volumes. In many cases, moderate exercise will be more beneficial, because for the majority of modern people exercising beyond body’s limits would typically involve hyperventilation, and, in this case, it is not only useless, but can be harmful. With proper breathing and correct physical training one will be able to extend body’s limits in a healthy way, and therefore extend the duration of beneficial exercise.

8. Diversity. For maximum benefits, include all groups of exercises listed below. The same way we need to eat variety of foods to get full spectrum of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, switching and changing exercise routines will give your body optimal strength, flexibility, tone and weight. It will take “boring” out of your physical activity and allow the body to recuperate from repetitive muscle load.

9. Stretch exercises, including Yoga. Both are excellent warm up and cool down routines. Flexibility and balance have been long considered the attributes of youth. Yoga greatly increases upper body strength, which aids correct posture, which in turn promotes naturally reduced breathing volumes. Gentle breath holds and calm breathing that go along with many Yoga poses are recommended over techniques that might involve large volume breathing (e.g. some Pranayama breathing taught by modern Yoga instructors).

10. Core Exercises, including Yoga: Our body has core muscles located mostly in our back, abdomen and pelvis. Strengthening them can help protect and support our back, make body less prone to injury and help gain greater balance. Upper body strength plays a huge role in breathing normalization by setting the correct posture.

11. Weight training /resistance type exercises. This type of exercise assists in proper absorption of calcium and bone and muscle strengthening. It is also quite safe, and with weight/resistance load regulation, can be done by virtually everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Increased muscle strength aids correct posture, which promotes naturally reduced breathing volumes.

12. Walking. Walking is a universal exercise, one that can be prescribed for any age or fitness level. When one starts breathing retraining, walking is the most natural choice of physical exercise to recommend, as speed and duration can be easily regulated. Once proper breathing is achieved during fast walking, one can move up to a combination of walking/jogging/running routines.

13. Shaking or aerobics. Exercise that produce natural shaking of the body (e.g., jogging, running, elliptical machines, dancing, trampoline jumping, jump-roping, most games, many team sports etc.) should be included in exercise routine. One of the advantages of shaking movements is lymphatic system stimulation. Even bigger advantages of aerobic exercise have been suggested in recent studies – release of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, anti-aging benefits through stimulation of HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and limiting age related telomere shortening.

14. Perspiration. Sweating helps detoxification of the body.

Effectiveness of the exercise can be measured by comparing the “before” and “after” CP (what is Control Pause – How to measure your Control Pause) values. “After” CP value should be measured 30 to 40 min after the activity. Increase in CP value indicates a positive outcome.

What Fitness Specialist should know when working with people with respiratory conditions

Lung disease is a number three killer in the US, responsible for one in six deaths. Today, more than 35 million Americans are living with chronic lung disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), otherwise known as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

To avoid triggering of respiratory symptoms, breathing volume should be balanced by the rate of physical activity, therefore

 Nose breathing should be ensured at all times during physical activity

 A person should not increase physical activity beyond the point where it is impossible for him /her to sustain nasal breathing

 A person should not increase physical activity beyond the point where he/she loses control of their breathing (e.g. breathing becomes erratic, gasping etc.)

 Large volume chest breathing (often interpreted as “deep” breathing) should not be encouraged by Fitness Instructor

 Exercise prescription should be based on individual CP measurements (among other factors)

 Proper warm up and cool down routines are essential for avoiding EIA, sudden asthma attacks, cough attacks or COPD symptoms aggravation

 Fitness Instructors should be familiar with commonly used asthma/COPD medications and have guidelines established for emergency procedures.

 Fitness Instructors should encourage trainees with breathing disorders / lung conditions to stay in close contact with their medical provider and practice correct breathing beyond their exercise time, such as to learn and practice the Buteyko Breathing to correct chronic hyperventilation.

Even among breathing/lung conditions patients, there is a huge variation in their health and fitness level. Therefore, individual recommendations will vary considerably. Regretfully, breathing patients typically make their biggest mistake by either not exercising at all, or over-exercising. Breathing instructors can help you with correct exercise prescription. If you think you cannot exercise due to debilitating symptoms you are experiencing, let the Buteyko Breathing coach consult you. You’ll be amazed at the difference!